Moving target.



P. GHIANTORE.

ED OCT. 10,1908.

Patented May 10, 1910.

ANDREW a GRAHAM co. wu'm-Llmoenwnms. WASNWGTON n c TENT FFTQE.

MOVING TARGET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1910.

Application filed October 10, 1908. Serial No. 457,071.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PILADE GHrAN'roRn, a subject of the King of Italy, residing in Turin, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Moving Targets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a flying target for practicing shooting at flying objects, which while being extremely simple, imitates in a perfect manner the irregular flight of birds as well as their dimensions and visibility and makes it possible to see when it is hit.

A construction of a device according to this invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation with the crown or rim in section; Fig. 2 is a plan.

The target (or clay pigeon) is constituted by two hollow hemis heres 1 1 obtained in the press from some ragile material such as for instance a compressed mixture of tar with sulfate of calcium or saw dust, and by a circular rim 2 slightly bent as shown in the drawing, and intended not only to hold together the two halves of the sphere, but also to give to the target a certain irregularity of flight and to make it responsive to the least breath of air. The edges of the two hemispheres 1 1 are thickened by a circumferential rib 3 while at the pole of the great circle they present cylindrical projections 4:, the said projections 4 and the ribs 3 being provided with notches 5 arranged along a great circle normal to the edges. The rim 2 of cardboard or some other suitable material is provided on its inner circumference with four recesses 6 arranged opposite each other in couples and on perpendicular diameters.

For forming the flying target according to this invention, it is sufficient to bring together the edges of the two hemispheres after having filled their empty space with feathers, pieces of variously colored paper or impalpable powder, and introduce the sphere thus obtained, into the circular rim 2 by causing the ribs 3 and the projections l to pass into the recesses 6 of the inner circumference of the said rim and turning the rim relatively to the sphere so as to bring the non-recessed portions 7 of the inner circumference of the rim into the recesses or notches 5 of the ribs 3 and of the projections 42. The target thus formed can be thrown by hand, without any special part, or by means of any mechanical throwing device.

It will be readily understood that the shape of the flying target according to this invention combines simplicity of construction with all the qualities rendering it suitable to imitate in a perfect manner a live bird. By giving for instance to the sphere 1 a diameter corresponding to the average dimensions of a body of a pigeon (70 mm.) the same useful field of target will be obtained, while its visibility is much better than that of ordinary disks on account of the circular rim 2, similarly to the case of birds whose visibility is'increased by their wings. The rim 2 also gives to this kind of flying target the characteristic property of a much more irregular and variable flight than that of any other flying target, for its trajectory can be modified continually either by the position assumed at each moment by the surface of the rim, or by the least breath of air. Moreover, the central sphere being made of two hollow halves, it can be easily filled with light material which, when the target is hit and smashed, spreads in the air indicating at once the result of the shot.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A moving target for practicing shooting at flying objects comprising two hemispherical parts of fragile material, an annular curved rim encircling said hemi-spherical parts and projecting therefrom, and means carried by said rim for locking said hemispherical parts together.

2. A moving target for practicing shooting at flying objects, comprising a hollow sphere divided through one diametrical plane, an annular curved rim encircling said sphere and projecting therefrom, and lying in a plane perpendicular to the dividing plane of the sphere, and means carried by said rim for locking the parts of said sphere together.

3. A moving target for practicing shoot ing at flying objects, comprising a hollow sphere divided through one diametrical plane, an annular curved rim encircling said sphere and projecting therefrom, and lying in a plane perpendicular to the dividing plane of the sphere, means carried by said rim for locking the parts of said sphere together, and a filling of light material for the interior of said sphere.

a. A moving target for practicing shooting at flying objects, comprising a hollow sphere divided through one diametrical plane, an annular curved rim encircling said sphere and projecting therefrom, and lying in a plane perpendicular to the dividing plane of the sphere, and means for lockingthe sphere and rim together upon the latter being rotated through part of a revolution.

5. A moving target for practicing shooting at flying objects, comprising a hollow sphere divided through one diametrical plane, an annular curved rim encircling said sphere and projecting therefrom, and lying in a plane perpendicular to the dividing plane of the sphere and means carried by said sphere and said rim for locking the parts of the target together upon the rim being rotated relatively to the sphere.

6. A moving target for practicing shooting at flying objects, comprising two hemispherical parts of fragile material, a circular flange around the edge of each of said hemi spherical parts, each of said flanges having two diametrically opposite slots, a cylindrical projection on each of said hemispherical parts at their summits, said projections having slots therein corresponding to and in the same diametrical plane as the slots in the flanges and a circular rim engaging said slots and holding the two hemispherical parts in engagement.

7. A moving target for practicing shooting at flying objects, comprising two hemispherical parts of fragile material, a circular flange around the edge of each of said hemi-spherical parts, each of said flanges having two diametrically opposite slots, a cylindrical projection on each of said hemispherical parts at-their summits, said projections having slots therein corresponding to and in the same diametrical plane as the slots in the flanges and an annular curved rim encircling said helm-spherical parts and projecting therefrom, said rim having four equally spaced notches adapted to pass over the projections and flanges on said hemispherical part.

8. A moving target for practicing shooting at flying objects, comprising two hemispherical parts of fragile material, a circular flange around the'edge of each of said hemi-spherical parts, each of said flanges having two diametrically opposite slots, a cylindrical projection on each of said hemispherical parts at their summits, said projections having slots therein corresponding to and in the same diametrical plane as the slots in the flanges, an annular curved rim encircling said helm-spherical parts and pro jecting therefrom, and four equally spaced projections on the inner edge of said rim, said projections engaging with the notches in the flanges and cylindrical projections on the hemi-spherical parts upon the rim being rotated relatively to said hemispherical parts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PILADE OHIANTORE.

Vitnesses LOUIS ALLAN, CESCA PAULO. 

